CH 70

November 4, 2022Merchie

The handsome face of the black-clad Cheng Feng glowed under the moonlight. But unlike Pei Zheng, who always had a smile plastered on his lips, Cheng Feng constantly scowled. It was as though he couldn’t make any other faces.

Jiang Yubai didn’t really expect Cheng Feng to reveal anything to him, and was about to turn around and leave.

But Cheng Feng didn’t say a word, and also didn’t let go of him. He continued to clutch Jiang Yubai’s wrist, gripping it so hard that it was becoming painful.

“Let go!”

Cheng Feng didn’t move.

“If you don’t let go, I’m going to bite you!”

Cheng Feng still didn’t move.

“I’m actually going to bite you now! It’s not my fault if you get hurt!”

Cheng Feng stared at him, before lifting his own strong, thin arm directly to Jiang Yubai’s mouth.

Jiang Yubai licked his lips, and chomped down hard. He didn’t show him any mercy; two sharp canine teeth pierced into Cheng Feng’s flesh, and the taste of blood filled his mouth.

Cheng Feng stared at the top of his head, without even the smallest wrinkle in his brows. He had been injured countless times in the past, so enduring this kind of mild pain was nothing to him.

Instead, it was Jiang Yubai who, after biting for quite a while, regained his conscience and slowly unclenched his teeth. Then, he looked down at his masterpiece, illuminated by the dim moonlight.

“Very good, there’s a lot of blood, but it won’t leave a scar.” Jiang Yubai touched the wound, before nodding his head in approval.

“You…”

Cheng Feng suddenly spoke, which scared the living daylights out of Jiang Yubai. He jumped back in surprise, couldn’t find his footing in time, and was about to fall over.

Fortunately, Cheng Feng’s senses were sharp, and he grabbed Jiang Yubai’s waist, pulling him closer. Jiang Yubai’s forehead crashed into Cheng Feng’s chest, and his hands pressed against a firm, warm body.

The fair earlobes hidden behind Jiang Yubai’s hair suddenly flushed red, and he quickly shoved Cheng Feng away.

“You asked me why I follow Master.” Cheng Feng looked down at him, “I can’t really explain why, but I have followed Master since the time I was still at the Shadow Guards’ Academy1.”

“The Shadow Guards’ Academy?” Jiang Yubai was stunned, “You’re telling me that Pei Zheng has stayed at the Shadow Guards’ Academy before?”

Cheng Feng nodded.

Jiang Yubai was lost in thought.

When the former Prime Minister Pei was still alive, he was a well-respected official who had assisted two generations of Emperors. The Pei family had also founded the Shadow Guards’ Academy; people trembled in terror if it was even mentioned. The Shadow Guards produced by this institution were all extraordinarily skilled in martial arts; it was a regular source of capable bodyguards to the royal family.

Those who came out of the Shadow Guard Academy had no will of their own; they only knew how to obey orders and kill people. Later, Pei Zheng became Prime Minister, as well as the Shadow Guard Academy’s new master, but against the advice and persuasions of others, he had insisted on abolishing it.

For the first time, Pei Zheng was labeled with the words “arrogant” and “reckless”.

Jiang Yubai wanted to ask a few more questions, but the phrase “I won’t say another word” was written all over Cheng Feng’s face, so he had no choice but to give up.

“Aren’t you going to let me go back? Do you want me to continue basking in the moonlight with you?”

Cheng Feng’s grip loosened.

Jiang Yubai jiggled his wrist twice, and was just about to leave when he was suddenly restrained once again.

“Hah, you’re really going to keep me here all night, aren’t you…”

“Go this way.”

Cheng Feng pointed at a path in the opposite direction.

Jiang Yubai stared at the two paths for a long while, but they were both exactly the same, so he obediently turned around and walked toward the path that Cheng Feng was pointing at.

“This Prime Minister’s Manor is like a labyrinth! Corruption! Abuse of power! Utterly lawless!”

Cheng Feng was still following him, so Jiang Yubai stopped walking, and looked back at him with a dubious expression on his face, “You’re not going back to stay up all night with your master?”

“Mm.”

Jiang Yubai’s lips curled, and he hesitated for a moment, “Then, come with me, I’ll bandage your wound.”

“No need, it’s just a small injury-“

“If I tell you to come, then you’re coming! You talk too damn much! No wonder your master finds you so annoying!”

Jiang Yubai turned and walked away. After a few steps, he realized that the person behind him wasn’t following him, and shouted loudly, “Hurry up!”

The corners of Cheng Feng’s mouth curved upwards imperceptibly, and he jogged to catch up.

***

The little pavilion was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Li Yu, who had been watching over the small man, obediently bowed his head and retreated once he saw Jiang Yubai being dragged away.

Qi Changyi was leaning against Pei Zheng’s chest. He could hear Pei Zheng’s heart thumping with vigor, but he couldn’t see his face, which made him even more nervous. He unconsciously licked his dry lips.

“Open your mouth.”

A muffled voice sounded from above, and the reclining man’s back quivered in rhythm with the heartbeat of the body behind him.

Qi Changyi’s fingers involuntarily tugged the hem of Pei Zheng’s robe. Tears were swimming in his eyes, but he desperately tried to hold them back.

“Brother Pei…”

He called out, his tone soft and weak. It sounded as though he was about to burst into tears. His voice trembled; it was like a cat’s claw lightly scratching at Pei Zheng’s heart.

How long had it been since he had last heard this sound?

If the little prince’s body wasn’t in such a terrible condition, Pei Zheng would have stripped him naked, shoved him into the blanket, and punished him severely using the same methods as last time, just to make him cry out in pain.

“Brother Pei… Don’t… Don’t send Xiao Yuzi away… Please…”

Pei Zheng lifted the medicine bowl to the small man’s lips and pried them apart with his slender fingers.

“We’ll talk about that once you drink your medicine.”

Qi Changyi let out a few sobs. Upon catching a whiff of the bitter medicinal soup, his face pinched like the top of a steamed bun, but he still obediently opened his mouth and drank the medicine.

He only drank half of it before he could no longer swallow the concoction. His face was pale as he retched uncontrollably.

Pei Zheng transferred some spiritual energy into his body, before placing the bowl back onto his mouth.

This time, Qi Changyi clenched his teeth, and shook his head, his eyes full of tears, “It’s so bitter… Can I drink the rest later…”

“The medicine’s effects will weaken if it’s left for too long. Be good, once you drink the rest of this, you won’t have to drink any more medicine.”

Qi Changyi hesitated for a while. He wiped his tears with his sleeve, took a deep breath, and exhaled loudly, as if to expel the bitter taste in his mouth with a single breath.

From this angle, Pei Zheng could see the little prince’s cheeks puffing and flattening over and over again. His eyes darkened as he reached out and placed the medicine bowl beside the bed, before grabbing that little face with one hand. It seemed that this small man really did have a great memory.

Pei Zheng pinched his face and tilted it slightly. The little prince’s mouth was still stained with a few black droplets, so he leaned over and pressed his own thin lips upon it. The small man’s jaw unclenched from the impact, and his soft, sweet tongue was tightly wrapped by Pei Zheng’s.

Qi Changyi’s eyes widened. He didn’t even have time to breathe before he was immediately wrapped and swallowed by Pei Zheng’s mouth again. After a few rounds of this, he was out of breath, and his cheeks were bright red.

Pei Zheng’s grip on the little prince finally loosened slightly. Qi Changyi’s eyes were unfocused, and he was panting softly. That medicine was indeed a little bitter, and his mouth was now filled with a pungent herbal taste. However, it was laced with a touch of sweetness.

He wiped the saliva off the panting man’s lips using his fingers, before gently rubbing the cheeks which had turned red from being pinched.

That little face was covered by Pei Zheng’s palm; only a pair of tear-filled eyes and long wet eyelashes were exposed.

Perhaps it had been too long since they had last kissed. The small man still hadn’t recovered from his hazy stupor, when Pei Zheng hugged him against his chest again. He grabbed the medicine bowl and poured its contents into Qi Changyi’s half-open mouth.

The little prince gulped a few times, and finally finished the rest of the medicinal juice.

It took him a few moments to realize that he had drunk the entire bowl of medicine. An intense bitterness rose up in his throat, and his eyebrows knitted tightly. He opened his mouth once more and took a few more deep breaths.

His once pale and bloodless lips were now slightly pink from being kissed, which only aroused one’s desires even more.

Pei Zheng lifted the slender man that was leaning against his chest, and turned him around, before placing him in his lap, folding his thin calves together and gently pushing them to the side.

He wrapped an arm around the little prince’s delicate waist and pressed it tightly against his body. His other hand grabbed the back of his head to prevent him from struggling. Then, he leaned down and attacked those tender, beautiful lips again.

His lips and tongue were his weapons, the small man’s mouth was his battlefield. Pei Zheng was the victorious general who dominated everything in his path, while the small man was but a defeated, retreating soldier.

“Wuu, nn… B-Brother Pei… Xiao Yuzi… Wuu…”

Pei Zheng’s body was raging with tumultuous desire, and he replied without even thinking, “All right.”

Then, he threw himself straight back into their heated battle of lips and tongues.

After a while, if the prince didn’t catch his breath, he would likely suffocate. Pei Zheng let go of him, and the small man’s limp body immediately fell against Pei Zheng’s. He rested his head on the other’s shoulder as he gasped for air.

His chest was covered by a soft, warm little ball once again. Pei Zheng’s fingers traced that pair of pale, thighs, so thin that one of them would fit in his palm, so weak that they could be broken with the smallest amount of force.

Of course, he couldn’t use too much strength; he could only gently knead and pinch at the fair skin beneath his fingers, so soft and delicate that one wouldn’t be able to stop themselves from touching it.

“I’ve finally recaptured you, you little rascal. How should I punish you?

Upon hearing the word “punishment”, the small man leaning against him immediately stiffened.

“…No… I don’t want to go to the dungeon.. Don’t beat me… I… It hurt so much… Too much…”

The small man’s tears began to flow once more, running down his cheeks and onto Pei Zheng’s robe.

Pei Zheng reached out and patted his back to comfort him, “All right, all right, don’t cry, I won’t send you to the dungeon, I’ll never send you there again. No one will ever dare to beat you again, okay?”

The little prince tried his best to hold his tears in, but he still couldn’t help but release a few sobs.

Pei Zheng gently pinched that small chin, forcing the little prince to look up at him.

“I wonder… You’ve been gone for so long, did you miss me? Hm?”

That pair of large, shimmering eyes resembled a clear pool of spring water; tears immediately slipped out of them as Pei Zheng spoke.

Pei Zheng rushed to wipe his tears away, but like a broken string of beads, they continued to fall. Pei Zheng leaned forward and kissed those beautiful eyes, catching tears on the tip of his tongue.

They were bitter, even more bitter than that medicinal juice.

Qi Changyi cried aggrievedly. He looked extremely pitiful as he wept quietly.

“…I… I didn’t… I didn’t miss you… You were so mean to me… Brother Pei… You’re not good to me at all… Before… You would hug me and coax me… But during that time, you would beat me every day… You were the one in the wrong… Why did you still have to punish me… You’re not good at all… I don’t want to think about you anymore…”

Pei Zheng almost lost control of the strength of his hands. He wanted to squeeze that little chin hard, force him to look into his eyes, and see if he still had the guts to repeat those words.

He managed to suppress his violent urges – this small man was far too weak at the moment; he wouldn’t be able to withstand it if Pei Zheng were to exert any more strength.

After the small man choked out that string of words, his tears began to surge out of his eyes at an even faster pace.

“…B-but… I can’t… My heart won’t listen to me… I told it to stop thinking about you… But it doesn’t listen to me at all…”

Notes

Please stop licking him, I don’t like looking up lick synonyms

Also Cheng Feng x Jiang Yubai is cuteeee, should we give them a ship name?

Thanks for reading~

1.暗卫营: So I made a footnote in an earlier chapter, 暗卫 is shadow/dark guard, which is basically a bodyguard, the 营 refers to either barracks or army camp, so not exactly an academy, but doesn’t it sound super cool?